"Ian B" wrote in message
...
Christina Websell wrote:
"Ian B" wrote in message
...
The garden has half a dozen rose bushes in it, in various states.
This one is about the saddest looking. It had severe problems with
black spot last year, such that I now informally know it as Typhoid
Mary. http://img594.imageshack.us/i/iansrose.jpg/

So this year I read up about pruning for about thirty seconds on the
internet, then hacked savagely at all the bushes in the hope of
creating some improvement. They're all sprooting now, but the big
problem with this one is that it only has one, or if you're generous
and squint your eyes a bit, two canes coming out of the bud union
(which also, as you can see, is rather a long way above the ground
for some reason). The rest is just a big lump of gnarly old bark.

Is there anything I can do to improve its prospects and get some
more, I believe they're called "basal breaks", or is it the Gordon
Brown of the rose garden that is just clinging on until somebody
does the kind thing and puts it out of its misery? It produced one
little red rose last year, which was impressive considering all the
leaves it lost (and it had not many to start with) in my attempts to
control the spread of the spot.


Did you ever consider taking care of your rose bushes before now? Like
treat them for disease or feed them?
Apparently not.

Yes I did feed them last year, but I inherited them much in this state
from the previous occupant who was an elderly man who hadn't been able to
tend the garden properly, so last year I was not focussing on it myself,
just trying to keep it ticking over with weeding and stuff. The roses were
fed (Toprose) and watered and I tried to contend with the black spot but
not very well and now I'm trying to learn how to do a proper job with it
all, since I've never had a garden of my own before and it's a rather
steep learning curve isn't it?

I appreciate that I look like an idiot, largely because I am one, but I'm
doing my best.


I feed my roses with blood, fish and bone. It's organic and they love it.
You aren't an idiot, I had a very bad day when a friend passed away
suddenly.. Sorry if I got bit nasty on the ng but how I will manage without
her I am not sure.

Christina Websell wrote:
"Ian B" wrote in message
...
Christina Websell wrote:
"Ian B" wrote in message
...
The garden has half a dozen rose bushes in it, in various states.
This one is about the saddest looking. It had severe problems with
black spot last year, such that I now informally know it as Typhoid
Mary. http://img594.imageshack.us/i/iansrose.jpg/

So this year I read up about pruning for about thirty seconds on
the internet, then hacked savagely at all the bushes in the hope of
creating some improvement. They're all sprooting now, but the big
problem with this one is that it only has one, or if you're
generous and squint your eyes a bit, two canes coming out of the
bud union (which also, as you can see, is rather a long way above
the ground for some reason). The rest is just a big lump of gnarly
old bark. Is there anything I can do to improve its prospects and get
some
more, I believe they're called "basal breaks", or is it the Gordon
Brown of the rose garden that is just clinging on until somebody
does the kind thing and puts it out of its misery? It produced one
little red rose last year, which was impressive considering all the
leaves it lost (and it had not many to start with) in my attempts
to control the spread of the spot.


Did you ever consider taking care of your rose bushes before now?
Like treat them for disease or feed them?
Apparently not.

Yes I did feed them last year, but I inherited them much in this
state from the previous occupant who was an elderly man who hadn't
been able to tend the garden properly, so last year I was not
focussing on it myself, just trying to keep it ticking over with
weeding and stuff. The roses were fed (Toprose) and watered and I
tried to contend with the black spot but not very well and now I'm
trying to learn how to do a proper job with it all, since I've never
had a garden of my own before and it's a rather steep learning curve
isn't it? I appreciate that I look like an idiot, largely because I am
one,
but I'm doing my best.


I feed my roses with blood, fish and bone. It's organic and they
love it. You aren't an idiot, I had a very bad day when a friend
passed away suddenly.. Sorry if I got bit nasty on the ng but how I
will manage without her I am not sure.

I'm sorry to hear of your loss. I don't know if this is the right thing to
say, but, if you ever have to watch a loved one pass away slowly, you start
to feel glad for those who go suddenly.


Ian